days of rage. tens of thousands of chinese hold anti-japan rallies over a territorial dispute. we'll have full coverage on this story this hour. welcome to nhk world "newsline." protesters in china are marching, shouting, and showing they don't plan on give ug up. they held rallies against japan in more than 100 cities across

the country. chinese are angry the japanese government nationalized zis puted territory in the east china sea. japan controls t s ths the senk islands. china and taiwan also claim them. roughly 2,000 demonstrators in the northeastern city of shenyang gathered in front of the japanese consulate general. some of them threw stones and plastic bottles at the building, shattering a number of windows. the demonstrators also tossed bottles at a nearby japanese restaurant. more than 5,000 people joined the protest in front of the japanese embassy in beijing. the crowd channelled the disputed island should be returned to china. some protesters threw plastic bottles and eggs into the compound. several thousand police officers are protecting the agency. that's the largest number since the protests began last week. more than 10,000 people have been demonstrating near the japanese koconsulate general in shanghai. police are assigned to ask for

groups of about 100 protesters. online reports say people living in inland chinese cities will hold demonstrations as well. tuesday also marks the anniversary of the incident that led japan to dispatch troops to manchuria in northeastern china in 1931. the chinese remember september 18th as a day of national humiliation. the dispute over these islands has divided the two nations for years. but the level of anger among the chinese right now appears to have hit a new high. nhk world's michitaka yamaka reports from beijing. >> reporter: this is a travel agency in beijing. china's travel season will kick off at the end of this month. but this company decided to cancel all tours to japan on september 10th. that was the day that the japanese government officially announced plans to nationalize the senkaku islands, which are

known in china as the diawi islands. >> translator: i was planning to visit japan, but i'm angry over the japanese government's attitude. >> reporter: the travel company is offering full refunds to customers who had booked tours to japan. >> translator: of course it's affecting our business plans and we'll suffer economically, but we need to express our anger. >> reporter: this man works for a think tank created with china's foreign ministry. he says many people in china think the japanese government went too far when it purchased the disputed islands. >> we had the conflicts and disputes before. but this time, the japanese, the current japanese government is intending to buy, that was a dissociation which would

directly mean the sovereignty, over the islands. the basic principles upon which our two governments -- the two countries normalized our relations with regard to the islands, we agreed to share the sovereignty. >> reporter: liu says he's concerned by the protesters' violence, and hi stresses that it is in japan's and china's interests to solve the issue through diplomatic efforts. >> more at stake is the economic benefits, which would benefit, be benefiting both sides. china still attaches importance to its relations with japan. china is still seeking and hoping that the japanese side would come back. >> reporter: chinese government officials say the ball is now in japan's court. in other words, it's up to the japanese government to take action to remedy their rift. china's leaders have demanded that japan reverse its position to nationalize the islands.

at the very least china's government officials want japan to recognize the territorial sovereignty of the islands as an issue that is up for debate. that could help bring down tempers in china, and a cooling of tensions could help clear the way toward a diplomatic resolution. michiaka yama ka, nhk world, japan. i spoke with a visiting professor who specializes in international affairs. chinese people are angry that the japanese government nationalized the islands. did the japanese leaders expect this kind of reaction? >> well, i did, and i hope they did. but unfortunately, the feeling of the japanese government is this. they thought the nationalization

would help because the owner, landowner, get the money, and the governor of tokyo would sell the nationalization to the -- the idea to the japanese government. so the japanese government thought that they could sell this deal to the chinese side. unfortunately, the chinese didn't buy it. the reason, one of the biggest reason is that they are in the middle of the politically sensitive season. >> now, the chinese government officials say japanese representatives agree to avoid any territorial action on the senkakus. they say the japanese broke the promise. what's your take on this? >> well, they say there's an idea of shelvif inving the issu senkaku. there must have been some kind of unilateral practice by some of the japanese politicians with respect to the island. japanese government said there

was no agreement like that in the past. >> they've called on protesters to show restraint, but he stopped short of telling them to stop the demonstration. what do you think are the intentions of the chinese government? >> they have a big dilemma. they are facing a wrong deed by the japanese government so, they have to do something. otherwise, they could be criticized for being too weak against the japanese government. so they encouraged -- or sometimes people organize some of the demonstrations in those cities to show their anger of the chinese people. but at the same time, if you fan it too much, then probably the anti-japanese movement could turn into anti-government movement in china. that's exactly what they really want to avoid. >> i guess the big picture is how does this all end and, you know, finish? what measures will leaders on both sides take to deal with the problem? is there a solution? what are the channels of negotiations between japan and china going on right now, do you think? >> if the idea of shelving the

issue is gone, probably have to work on the new set of rules to avoid the unnecessary frictions. in order to have a real understanding between the two country, we need to have a political dialogue and political channel to have frank, candid discussion. >> kuni miyake, former ambassador of the embassy in japan. japan coast guard officials say three chinese patrol ships briefly navigated into japanese territorial waters off the senkaku islands. they say the vessels entered at 5:20 p.m. local time and left 40 minutes later. coast guard personnel have been monitoring a total of 12 patrol ships, but 11 of them have already left the area.

chinese leaders plan to keep up this cat-and-mouse game at sea. they say they will continue to send patrol ships to the waters around the islands on a regular basis. >> translator: chinese surveillance vessels will patrol the waters near the islands. we will defend our country's sovereignty over the waters. >> hong ao referred to a report by china's state-run radio that 1,000 fishing boats from she zhang province are in the waters. he says it is natural for them to return. an explosion in afghanistan has left 12 people dead. the attack may be linked to the anti-u.s. protests that have swept the muslim world. let's get the details from

cholaphansa narula in bangkok. they suspect it was a suicide attack and that foreigners were the main target. local media report an anti-government insurgent group has claimed responsibility. the group apparently said the attack was retaliation for a film release in the u.s. that insults the prophet muhammad. the attack occurred early tuesday morning on a highway that leaves central kabul with an airport. a carload of bombs pulled up to mainny bus and then exploded. the blast killed at least 12 people including foreigners on the bus as well as pedestrians. several more people were wounded. >> translator: a car exploded near the mini bus, which was carrying foreign passengers from the airport. all the passengers inside the mini bus were killed. the mini bus reportedly belonged to an airline company and was carrying members of its staff. >> demonstrations against the film denigrating the prophet muhammad continue in afghanistan.

foreign embassies in afghanistan are cautioning their citizens to stay on alert for more protests and possible attacks. nato-led forces have announced a dramatic change of tactics in afghanistan. it's in response to the insider attacks that left six more soldiers dead over the weekend. a total of 51 foreign soldiers have been killed so far this year by their afghan colleagues or militants dressed in afghan uniforms. joint operations have been cut as a result. but that leaves questions over how afghan forces will take over responsibility for their country's security. nhk world's hideki yui reports from kabul. >> reporter: international forces in afghanistan announced on tuesday a major reduction in joint training at military operations with afghan forces. operations with small and medium sized units would basically be stopped, although they may be

aproou approved on a case-by-case basis. only the operations of more than 650 soldiers will continue. the afghan defense ministry said earlier this month that hundreds of afghan troops are being dismissed or taken into custody as it steps up efforts to counter inside attacks. commander of the nato-led international force insists afghan troops' ability to maintain security has been improving. but there are now concerns that reducing joint operations will limit their ability to counter terrorist threats in the future. hideki yui, nhk world, kabul. here in northeast asia, two asean members have taken a step to better sbeg rate their economies. stock exchanges in malaysia and singapore began cross-border trading. the link is the first stage of a plan by six asean countries to connect their borders and encourage investment.

nhk world's chikashi takaoka reports from kuala lumpur. >> reporter: a ceremony was held in kuala lumpur on tuesday to mark the connection of stock exchanges in malaysia and singapore, stage one of the so-called asean trading link. hopes are high that cross-border electronic trading will lure more investment in the region's stock markets from both home and abroad. >> today, the asean cooperation has marked a huge milestone in the history of asean with the launch of the asean trading link. the asean trading link is key to our goal to breaking down barriers to cross-border trade across asean. >> reporter: the plan to create the asean trading link was agreed last year by six asean countries, namely singapore and malaysia, thailand, the philippines, vietnam and

indonesia. thailand is scheduled to join the link in october, and the other countries will follow later. three of asean's most exciting economies for investment may have to wait until a later day to join. laos and cambodia both set up stock exchanges just last year. and myanmar is still making plans for its own bourse. it sent government officials to japan last december to study how the tokyo stock exchange works. investors see myanmar as asean's less economic frontier. southeast asia's strong economic growth means each national stock exchange is capable of attracting investors on its own. but they lack their western counterparts in aspects such as integration and market capitalization. asean countries hope cross-border stock trading will help bolster their markets ahead of the planned establishment of a regional economic community in

2015. nhk world, kuala lumpur. >> that's it from bangkok. i'm cholaphansa narula. thanks for joining. people in japan's noes are focused on overcoming the challenges of the 2011 disaster. but it won't be easy. they have to rebuild homes, businesses, entire communities. we'll show you their struggles and their successes on "the road ahead" every wednesday at 1:00 p.m. japan time here on "newsline." japanese officials are laying out their new energy policy to the international atomic energy agency. they hope to reach zero reliance on nuclear energy by the 2030s. >> translator: japan will increase its use of green energy to lessen its reliance on nuclear power. >> yamane hinted at flexibility over the schedule. he said the road to zero reliance may not be a straight one.

japanese officials at a separate meeting told the iaea about a new regulatory body. the industry ministry oversees the current regulator. the new body, the nuclear regulatory commission, will be largely independent. it will be launched on wednesday. the japanese government is going to allow two nuclear power plants that are under construction to be completed. the announcement comes just days after the government introduced a ban on all new nuclear plant projects. >> translator: construction permits and plans for new nuclear plants have already been given the green light. the ban does not mean permits for nuclear plants currently under construction will be canceled. >> fujimura says the new nuclear regulatory body will have the final say. work has already begun on two new plants in northern japan and shimane prefecture western japan. top leaders of japan's three biggest business groups have

call tond government to reconsider its new policy of phasing out nuclear power generation. >> translator: we are united in opposing the idea of ending the reliance on nuclear power generation. it's extremely regrettable that our view has been completely ignored. >> the three officials spoke with one voice against the government policy. hiomasu yonekura who heads the japanese federation says pursuing the policy would hurt employment. kasigawa of the japan association of corporate executives noted that it would hamper the country's energy, security and people's lives. the chairman of the japan chamber of commerce and industry said shutting down all nuclear reactors would boost utility bills and lower national strength. the chief of the now-defunct nuclear safety commission has opened up about last year's fukushima accident. japanese leaders have just

replaced the body with the new nuclear regulatory commission. chair of the old commission haruki madarame said the body had not been prepared for what had happened. >> translator: i hope the new regulatory body will be able to properly judge the behavior of the nuclear power companies. >> madarame also said the new commission should be transparent with the public. analysts criticized the nuclear safety commission for failing to prevent the fukushima daiichi accident or limit its effects. critics say the body was overly influenced by the government and the power industry. here are the latest market figures.

some tourists visit tokyo to see the bright lights, but others head to an adjoining city to admire its illuminatioillumi. the glow and the effect it creates make for an unlikely tourist experience. nhk world's robert speta has more on the story. >> reporter: kawasaki, a sprawling city of factories and refinery, one of the country's largest industrial zones, it helped fuel japan's economic growth after the war. at the same time, these areas were unsightly. they also polluted the air and caused other environmental problems. over time, technology made great inroads in reducing pollution.

that's done a great deal to help the city shed its image as a blight on the environment. nowadays the city is casting aside its reputation as an eyesore. at night all the plants and refineries turn on their lights and transform the area into a shimmering metropolis. tourists have started coming to the area to take in the beauty. they marvel at the winding pipes, at chimney stacks reaching into the darkness, and huge tanks all aglow. each plant has a unique structure, and when alight, each makes its own statement. motoo marumaru has organized many of the night factory tours. >> translator: all our industrial nightscape tours are always sold out all year-round. i've been in this business for the past 20 years, and i can tell you i've never seen anything like it. >> reporter: sightseers on the

cruise are put in just the right frame of mind to view nightscapes. the crews along canals enjoy breathtaking views of the radiant city. the boat leaves the port of kawasaki to cruise along some of the canals flanked by factories. petroleum refinery plants, cement plants, steel plants -- kawasaki is full of thousands of factories. the city of kawasaki organizes boat and bus tours to give visitors an up-close view of the plants. every year thousands of people take the tour. they range in age from 20 to over 70. >> translator: kawasaki has so many factories and workers. i hope a lot more people get to know our city by taking tours like this. >> reporter: for two hours this excursion gives visitors one dazzling view after another.

>> translator: the illumination from the plants and the sparkling reflection of the water, it's so impressive. >> translator: the factories look like space stations. i'm really intrigued by their other-worldly appearance. >> translator: people describe conventional nightscapes as just beautiful. but with industrial nightscapes, some visitors are reminded of the good old days. other people see the organs and blood vessels of a human body. in other words, industrial scenes impress viewers in different ways. >> reporter: this year the city of kawasaki began working with other cities, putting together their know-how to bring in even more sightseers. more cities recognize that their industrial zones offer tours a memorable experience. viewing industrial night scenes

is becoming a nationwide past time. robert speta, nhk world, kawasaki. for an update on the weather forecast, here's mai shoji. mai? the peak of the heavy rain in the region is going to be finally closer to an end. however, the tokai region will be expecting heavy amounts of rainfall, and this heavy rainmaker will make its way towards the northeast. so the next target will be northern japan as well as eastern japan. parts of the region will be welcoming these rainfall, however, short-term heavy rainfall is not welcomed at all. it could trigger some flashflooding. we have a report of 79 mill meeters that fell just in a span of one hour. and the total accumulation we have found in mie prefecture is 630 millimeters in the past three days. so this is a very heavy rainmaker. it is tapering off, however, moving towards the northeast. so tokyo will probably be seeing

a very showery, rainy day tomorrow. but in the wake of this system, western japan as well as the korean peninsula, much of china will be seeing things to be very dry and much calmer than what we have been seeing before. still, a different story here in the philippines, though weather the low-pressure system just lingering over the east of the country, bringing heavy rainfall. and this is going to be a long-lasting one for the next coming days. we see a lot of 30s still in the tropics. still hitting 30 here in tokyo, as well. and u lan laanbaataulaanbaatar, degrees, the low around the chilling point so, do be aware of that. things are going to be really chilly across much of the upper midwest and ontario, manitoba. these regions actually have frost and freeze warnings in effect d during the overnight hours. this is due to this cold front passing through these regions, and along this cold front is where we might find some severe activity. the stronger storms could

actually produce large hails, damaging gusts which could be as much as 65 kilometers per hour, and also tornadic activity cannot be ruled out. so do watch out for that. but much across the western and central portions of the united states, dry and clear. take a look at these temperatures, though. chicago has i mentioned dropping down to 16 degrees. could be the coolest temperature you'll see this year so far. and winnipeg at 14 degrees. i can't say much for you in houston at 31 degrees. still very hot here. but we're seeing a little bit of autumn, a taste of autumn here in europe. let's take a look at a video coming out from poland first. this is from the weekend. autumn is throughout the northern hemisphere. now some people are taking a little time off to enjoy the fruits of the harvest in the polish town. low cams dress up and take part in an annual parade. in the farmer's market, people bought up seeds for next year's

crop. some browsed books on growing techniques. but before then, there's a long wenter to face. across central europe, the temperatures are beginning to drop, so let's take a look at what's happening here. we actually have a cold front that is going to be just moving through poland, actually. this is why the temperatures are going to be dropping. and along the cold front we may see some very nasty thunderstorms which could produce some hail, damaging gusts, as well as localized heavy downpours. but behind the system, really, temperatures are plummeting 16 degrees in berlin, stockholm at 14 degrees. also 16 here in london. here's your extended forecast. ♪

we'll be back with more updates in 30 minutes. i'm gene otani in tokyo.